Last night in Bible study we were looking at John 16 and came to the section about persecution. The question was asked, “Have you ever been persecuted for your faith?”, clearly in the US the answer is no. At least not compared to what happens to Christians in Communist or Muslim countries. At worst we probably experience some mocking, derision, or marginalization.
As I thought about this, I realized that I would expect to be mocked or derided for my faith by atheists or people of other faiths, what I didn’t realize was how much would come from folx who claim to be Christians.
I’m sure there’s something to learn in this, I’m not sure what.
6 comments:
Since Jesus classified "revile you" and "utter all kinds of evil against you falsely" as "persecution," (Matt 5:11) I'm going to go with "Yes, I've been persecuted for my faith." I would follow that immediately with "Not like the persecution in other countries, absolutely not." I do think it's telling that the "persecution" here is largely from the Left "Christians".
I agree that what we see here is persecution by that standard, I just feel like I shouldn’t be comparing what I see with people who are actually martyrs.
Yes, it’s interesting that the two groups who are most likely to engage in this behavior are progressive christians and militant atheists.
Although the two groups narratives are remarkably similar.
Persecution comes in many degrees. If I was asked directly if I've ever been persecuted for my faith, I could not in good conscience say that I have been, but not because I wasn't burned alive or something to that extreme. I don't feel...I wouldn't feel...that it's necessary to answer in any but the affirmative if I had been. If the inquiring mind wants to then ask if I've been tortured for the purpose of insisting I have no right to the claim, I'd remind that person as well that persecution does not require a specific means or method, nor is a victim required to have suffered only the most extreme examples in order to have a legitimate claim.
For my part, I've not had so much as a direct mockery or insult as a result of my faith. The worst is the implication of another person speaking condescendingly about "people" who are among the faithful...which can't help but include me despite not singling me out specifically. A "veiled" insult, as it were...a most mild form of persecution.
I definitely agree that the worst persecution we're likely to suffer doesn't compare to what our brothers and sisters suffer in Muslim countries or on communist paradises like N Korea or China. But, as Stan pointed out, it's all covered. I personally feel slightly guilty using the same term, persecution, but it technically applies.
I also wonder how I'd hold up under more extreme persecution, I'd like to think I'd do OK, but who knows. I suspect that the progressive, social justice christians would be likely to quickly fold under real persecution. But who knows?
I guess you could argue that many on the progressive side have already succumbed to any of a number of secular philosophies, without any persecution at all.
"I also wonder how I'd hold up under more extreme persecution..."
I hope we never have to find out.
You're right about progressives. It didn't take much pressure at all to get them to give up God for the world. I wonder if they'd act differently under threat of decapitation.
It seems like lots of folx have abandoned all or part of their faith for a whole lot less. They just want to be accepted by society.
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